I’m a guitarist and musician with over a decade of playing experience, and I’ve been immersed in music since I got my first guitar at age 10. That guitar was an Epiphone Les Paul Junior, which I still play today. Over the years I’ve made some upgrades and adjustments to improve its playability and tone, so it has grown with me as a player. One of the most influential experiences in my musical development was joining Jazz Band in junior high. Jazz taught me how music really works, including improvisation, reading chord charts, complex harmony, modes, scales, and musical communication. Those skills continue to shape the way I play, write, and teach, regardless of genre. I continued developing those skills by playing in a Jazz Combo at Utah State University. There, I learned bebop vocabulary, expanded my improvisational language, and gained real-world experience performing at gigs. Playing with other musicians in live settings strengthened my timing, feel, and musical interaction, which are skills I bring directly into my teaching. My primary musical focuses are rock, punk, metal, and jazz, but I genuinely love all styles of music. I am always open to helping students explore whatever inspires them to pick up the guitar, whether that means learning songs, writing riffs, improvising, or diving into music theory. I believe passion is the most important part of learning, and lessons are always shaped around each student’s interests and goals. Some of my biggest influences include Billie Joe Armstrong, Tom DeLonge, John Frusciante, Eddie Van Halen, James Hetfield, Mikael Åkerfeldt, Alan Holdsworth, and Pat Metheny. Green Day was the band that got me into music, and “Holiday” was the first song I ever learned. I am also passionate about guitar gear and tone, and I enjoy helping students understand how their instrument, amp, and pedals work together. Beyond playing, I dabble in recording and love experimenting with guitar tones and arrangements. My dream is to have my own studio where I can record my own music and help others bring their ideas to life. As a teacher, my goal is to meet students where they are, whether they are picking up a guitar for the first time or looking to level up their technique, theory, or creativity. I focus on strong fundamentals, efficient technique, and musical application, helping students build skills they can actually use in real music.
